In step with ISTEP scores

January 16, 2009|VIRGINIA RANSBOTTOM Tribune Staff Writer

PLYMOUTH Plymouth Community School's ISTEP scores for 2008 were close to the highest passing percentages since testing in the district began. Math scores led the way. All grade levels in math scored higher than the state average, except sixth grade. "And that was just a smidgen," said new school board president Frank Brubaker, at the corporation's first meeting of the year on Jan. 8. The percentage of third-graders passing math rose by 15 and seventh-grade math at Lincoln Junior High had its highest score since testing began in 2004. Dan Funston, Lincoln principal, credits several factors for the jump from 76 percent in 2007 to 87 percent in 2008. Those factors include the teamwork spent in offering an accelerated math curriculum, adding a teacher to double the time spent with struggling students and flexible grouping to accelerate enrichment and remediation. More than 20 seventh-grade students were enrolled in algebra last fall and several more are enrolled in pre-algebra. Those accelerated classes are math levels traditionally taken in eighth grade. "Overall, approximately half of our seventh-graders are enrolled in an excelled math class," Funston said. "I think our seventh-grade teachers (Karen Cox, Susan LaFree and Jennifer Grindle) have done an excellent job with these classes and our general math classes." The school board approved an additional math teacher last year, which kept class sizes at fewer than 25 in most cases. Struggling students get extra help in a math lab class. These were students who had failing sixth-grade ISTEP scores and were enrolled only in math lab one month before the seventh-grade ISTEP test. "As seventh-graders, many of them were able to pass because of the help they received in lab class," Funston said. A flexible grouping period was added this year. These 25-minute periods pull in accelerated students to receive enrichment or struggling students for remediation. Quizzes are given to measure achievement, and extra help is received immediately. Third-grade math also scored a significant gain since 2007, going from 60 percent passing to 75 percent in 2008. Other observations highlighted for the school board included: -Grade 10 language arts and math improved where labs were in place last year. -High school students will no longer be tested, but will take end-of-course assessments in Biology I, Algebra I and English 10. Students must pass all three assessments for graduation. Remedial assessments will be offered. "We might have to add teachers in those areas at a time when the economy won't allow us," said school Superintendent Dan Tyree. -The minority population has grown from 14 percent in 2001 to 22 percent in 2008. Free or reduced lunch population grew from 33 percent to 48 percent. Both populations statistically are associated with lower test scores. -Both science grade levels improved significantly with benchmark testing and action plans in place, and composite scores in English improved.